Thanking you
by Yatagami
Summary: AU. Order 66 has been activated, and the Jedi Temple has fallen. Now Ahsoka Tano and her group of youngling friends must flee the slaughter and get out alive.


The streets on Coruscant were empty. Everyone was in their homes, hiding from the column of clone troopers marching towards the Jedi Temple. Their steps, all in perfect unison, echoed up and down the alleys. Rifles against their chests, and helmets all facing forward they followed the hooded figure at the front. In this fashion they continued until the first row had reached the steps of the temple. Lord Vader raised his hand. Commander Appo put a hand to his earpiece,

"This is command. Check in."

"Alpha leader standing by."

"Beta leader standing by."

"Gamma leader standing by."

"Delta leader standing by."

"Everybody know their roles?" Silence. "Good." Appo nodded to Vader. "We're ready, sir." The hand came down, and a battalion of troops rushed the temple.

In the far back, near the training chambers, Ahsoka Tano had barricaded herself and a group of younglings inside a supply closet. Gungi moaned softly while Petro nodded in agreement.

"Yeah."

"No, we can't fight them. They're too many." Ahsoka whispered back. Byph clicked and huddled back into the corner as Ganodi curled up beside him hands over her ears to block out the shouts and screams from beyond the door.

"What are we going to do, Ahsoka?" Zatt whispered as the sound of lights sabers swooshing and lasers blasting neared them. The Togruta bit the tip of her thumb.

"Alright. We'll... wait here until they leave." Gungi and Petro exchanged glances,

"But we can take take em! We're Jedi!" Petro hissed. Gungi and Katooni pulled out their lightsabers. Ahsoka threw her hand over them.

"No. We can't win. We'll be rushing to our deaths." Zatt nodded,

"According to the info Ahsoka gave us, there's a full battalion out there. The odds are..." He counted on his fingers, "Over a thousand-to-one."

"Where are you getting those numbers?" Katooni whispered.

"Well one, we're not even Jedi. Two, there are over five hundred trained clones out there. We don't stand a chance!" Petro clicked on his lightsaber, which came out with a tell-tale blue swoosh.

"It doesn't matter! They're just clones!"

"Hey! Did you hear that?" A clone voice came from outside. Ahsoka froze and pulled out her own lightsabers.

"Everybody get ready." One-by-one the younglings pulled out their own sabers. The door swooshed open and three clones rushed in, rifles raised and leveled at her. Whipping out her sabers she swung and cleaved their heads off. Their helmets, heads still inside, rolled over to Katooni's feet. Gungi and Petro gulped as Byph shrieked, clinging to Ganodi, who sniffled. Kantooni stared at the helmets with a sickly look on her face and a whimper. Ahsoka checked the hall before signaling, and Gungi ran forward and took up a position on the left holding his lightsaber up. Zatt knelt down next to Ganodi, and helped her and Byph to their feet. Byph was shaking nervously and gripped Ganodi's hand. Petro waved a hand at them before heading out.

"Come on, lets go! Move it!" The three shuffled forward, lightsaber's drawn.

"Lets go find all the Jedi Masters. We'll be safe with Master Yoda." Ahsoka ordered. Zatt gasped.

"Wait, only Master Shaak Ti is in the Temple!" Ahsoka groaned,

"Well, then where is she?" Gungi moaned.

"Okay, lets go!" The party ran down the hall and turned a corner towards the Council room. Lasers barraged them.

"There are some! Get 'em!" The group ground to a halt and turned around, deflecting laser shots. Katooni screamed as clones stormed around the corner. Ahsoka looked back,

"Keep going! I'll hold them off!" Zatt, Petro and Gungi all began to argue but Ahsoka threw up her hand. "No arguing! Go!" Byph and Ganodi nodded weakly as Ahsoka blocked more incoming shots with her twin sabers. Ganodi grabbed Zatt's arm, while Byph grabbed Gungi's furry hand and the four stumbled off down the hall. Gungi looked back and vocalized at Ahsoka,

"No, Gungi!" She said back, "I need you to protect them!" Gungi gave a final look back and nodded. Ahsoka ran at the clones, and began cutting and slashing. Suddenly she noticed a blue light swinging next to her.

"Petro, what are you doing here?" She yelled at him, "I told you to run!" Petro grinned and slashed through clone armor.

"I thought you might need some help." Ahsoka growled at him, jerked her head back, and the two began retreating after their friends. They backed around the corner and into a room while the clones followed and began cutting through the metal.

"You guys, go after the others, we'll handle Commander Tano!" Ahsoka gasped,

"These guys are part of the 501st!" She looked around the room for something to help. Petro ran to the back of the room.

"Here! Look!" He pulled the grate off of a vent, "We can get out this way!" Ahsoka looked at the sparks flying from the torch on the other side of the door and nodded.

"Right. Now get in." Petro shook his head, "What do you mean?"

"What if there're hostiles on the other side?"

"There are hostiles right here!" Petro opened his mouth to argue and Ahsoka sighed,

"Alright, fine!" She crawled into the vent and Petro followed, pulling the grate on behind him. Ahsoka and Petro crawled through the vents until they came out in another room. Crawling out, they came face-to-back with a squad of clones. The five clones turned and were immediately cut down by three lightsabers. The pair turned. They were in one of the higher rooms overlooking the city. Suddenly, they heard the clicking of rifles. Turning, they saw thirteen blasters pointed at them. Ahsoka stepped in front of Petro, guarding him as they backed up to the window. The clones parted, revealing a clone that was obviously their leader. He held up an information retrieval device.

"Ahsoka Tano. Petro Reemka." He turned to the Togruta, "Since you have a history with the 501st, I'll give you last words."

"You traitors! How could you do this!" She cried. The clone's helmet turned to Petro.

"And you?" The youngling looked at him,

"I have only two words to say," He turned to Ahsoka "Thank you." Ahsoka's eyes twitched and widened,

"Wha- AHH!" Petro pushed her out the window with the Force, smashing it and sending her flying out into the air. The some of the soldiers ran forward after her, while Petro smiled at her and tossed his lightsaber out. Ahsoka watched in horror as the room lit up with blaster fire. She grabbed herself with the Force, and landed in the training yard. Petro's lightsaber twirled down and hit the ground, shattering into pieces. The crystal heart rolled up against her foot.

Gungi shivered and moaned. Katooni looked at him.

"What's wrong, Gungi?" The Wookie snorted.

"A disturbance in the Force? What do you mean?" The Wookie shrugged. Byph clicked and gurgled,

"Byph's right." Zatt agreed, "We should keep going." The group quietly snuck through the halls, avoiding soldiers and looking for Shaak Ti. Suddenly a blaster sounded from behind them and a laser burned the wall next to Ganodi who screamed. Gungi whirled around and drew his lightsaber, holding it across his body. Several clones had followed them and were now opening fire. More clone voices sounded from behind them. Starting to run again, they headed down a hallway. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Gungi saw a little red dot trained on Ganodi's head. Roaring, he detracted his saber and tackled her into a separate room. The others continued on down the hallway without them as the clones rushed the hallway. Gungi smashed the door control with his fist and the doors slammed shut. Ganodi was clinging to his fur, huffing.

"W-What was that?" Gungi stood up and groaned, "Oh... Thank you..." She said, calming down slightly. The door began sparking, and it was obvious that the soldiers were cutting through. Gungi dragged Ganodi to the window and tapped it, vocalizing.

"You have a plan?"

The other three ran down the hallway. Zatt gripped his lightsaber and pointed to the door to the library.

"There! We can hide there!" They rushed into the library, and gasped. Most of the shelves had been destroyed and broken holocrons were strewn about the floor.

"T-the library!" Katooni stuttered, "What happened?" Byph gave a strange sputter and rushed over to the center. There, lying on the tables, bodies shot and mangled, were Jocasta Nu and Sinube. Byph gave a mournful gurgle and closed their eyes, which were still open. The other two younglings came over and bowed their heads in a small moment of respect for the former Jedi Masters. Footsteps sounded from behind them, and a hooded figure stepped out of shadows. The trio drew their sabers, on edge. The figure pulled back his hood, and all the younglings relaxed. He held out his hand.

"Come with me."

Ahsoka twirled and slashed in the circle of clones that surrounded her.

"Augh!" One waved his hand as another three troopers fell.

"Medic! Scratch lost his arm!" Another one fired at the Togruta,

"Forget Scatch's arm! What about Link's head?" He shouted back. Ahsoka shrieked as she brought her shota down through the forehead of a trooper.

"Light her up!" The clones retreated and backed away, the circle widening, while every trooper pulled out an electric gun. Ahsoka spun around and hit the floor as she was shocked with hundreds of volts of electricity. The clone captain looked down at her, while two of his men grabbed the former Padwan and dragged her towards the center of the temple.

"Commander Appo, status."

"All Padwans and Jedi Masters successfully terminated." The three younglings gasped,

"What!" Zatt gasped, "M-Master Skywalker?" He backed directly up into a pair of armored legs. Byph's shoulders hunched together. Katooni stared at Lord Vader with fear in her eyes. He turned to them and moved to the side. The trio of younglings gave horrified gasps. Byph screeched and fell to his knees, while Katooni put a hand to her mouth, and fell to the floor, bile erupting from her throat. Zatt's eyes filled with tears as he stared at the growing pile of bodies being dumped in the center of the room. Jedi and Padwan's lifeless bodies were being thrown onto each other as dozens of clones rummaged through the corpses pulling out the lightsabers, throwing them into a pile next to the bodies.

"Oh... gods..." Zatt mumbled, shaking his head. Lord Vader nodded to the clones behind him and they grabbed the three kids, who struggled and kicked.

"Let us go!" Katooni yelled, coughing though her sick. The clone holding her grunted and held her at arms length. Byph had gone limp under the arm of his and Zatt reached for his lightsaber but was stopped by the soldier behind him. Vader turned to Appo.

"Send out search parties into the city. Shaak Ti and several ships escaped." Appo saluted and began talking into his headset. While the room cleared. Vader unsheathed his lightsaber and pointed it at Byph's protruded neck, who squealed.

"Sir!" Vader turned away from Byph to the soldiers who came up.

Gungi and Ganodi watched from the window in the ceiling as Ahsoka's body was dragged in front of Lord Vader. Ganodi bristled.

"We have to help them!" She hissed and raised her lightsaber to slash the glass. Gungi held out his hand, however, quietly stopping her. She looked at him incredulously.

"Why?" She asked and he moaned. "This is our chance!" He shook his head and groaned,

"Patience?" She sighed, "Okay." They began to formulate a plan as they watched the scene unfold.

"Ahsoka!" Zatt cried and his senior stirred.

"Ugh... Zatt?" She groaned, raising her head.

You won't believe it Ahsoka! It's Master Skywalker!" Ahsoka's head shot up, a hopeful smile on her face. Vader turned to face her and her face turned to sheer horror.

"A-Ana-Anakin?" '_Hey Master!_' He looked at her, his face dark.

"Hello, Ahsoka." '_What's up Snips?_'.

"Wh-what are you..." '_Look out, Master!_'.

"Fulfilling my destiny." '_We're going to go practice flying!._'. She glared at him,

"What destiny? All you're doing is killing innocents!" She screamed. '_Don't worry, Master. I'll keep your secret._'.

"My destiny no longer is on the weak path." '_Your lightsaber is your life. Always remember that._'.

"How can you?" Tears had pooled in her eyes. '_I'm sorry, Anakin. I can't come back._'.

"I have found a new master." '_I... don't understand._'. Ahsoka's tears rolled down her orange cheeks. Vader nodded to the soldiers holding her. They threw her down at his feet and she immediately jumped away. The three soldiers holding the younglings cuffed them and backed up to the pillars at the end of the room. Vader reached into the sleeve of his cloak and retrieved two sabers. He tossed both of them to Ahsoka, who caught them and unsheathed them. '_Keep your stance loose, okay Snips?_' Vader unhooked his own lightsaber and clicked the button, letting the blade whoosh out.

Ahsoka charged at her former master, swords extended behind her. Vader deflected her shota swing, and flipped over her. She twirled around, swinging both her sabers but was caught by Vader's own blue blade.'_Come on, Master! I thought you were good at this!_' The two clashed again and again in the empty front hall, lighting the hall with each strike. Vader swung down with both hands grasped around the hilt but was blocked by Ahoska's crossed sabers.

"You're better than this, Ahsoka." '_That was great, Ahsoka! Really showed them clankers!_' Vader growled, as Ahsoka bared her sharp teeth,

"_You _were better than this, Anakin!" '_Hah! Seventy! New high score, Master!_' Vader pushed her away and they locked again.

"Don't call me that. My name is Darth Vader." Ahsoka struggled against him but her face fell,

"D-Darth? You turned to the Dark Side?" She whispered as she leaped away. She braced herself for another attack and had just started running when a sudden crash came from behind Vader. Gungi gave a wild bellow, lightsaber drawn over his head as he flew through the air towards Vader. Ganodi was clinging to his back, supporting Gungi in the air with her Force.

"Gungi! Ganodi!" Katooni cheered, still cuffed and on the floor. Zatt looked on, smiling, and Byph clicked turned to Gungi and Ganodi, stuck out his hand, and held them in the air with the Force. The two scrabbled at their throats while they were choked. Ahsoka screamed and jumped towards him, sabers raised. Suddenly, she felt herself stop in midair, then abruptly hurtle towards her former master. Gungi and Ganodi dropped to the ground, and the world seemed to freeze for all the younglings. Vader's saber protrude from Ahsoka's back, her mouth hanging open in an 'o', eyes straining to look at her former master. Her sabers hit the floor, and the younglings screamed with fear.

"Ahsoka!" Katooni shrieked, her face twisted with agony.

"Nonononono!" Zatt muttered, his own large eyes streaked with tears. Ahsoka slumped as the lightsaber retracted out of her and she collapsed to the floor, gripping her wound. Vader looked down at his former apprentice before stepping over her.

"Now..." He inclined his head towards the clone watching the cuffed children. "CT-5243." The trooper snapped to attention, "See if she's still alive." He paused next to the medic for a moment, then left the room.

"Right, sir." The children sobbed as the soldier ran forward, kneeling down next to the wounded Togruta. Gungi and Ganodi uncuffed the others and they all rushed towards Ahsoka, falling to the floor next to her.

"Oh gods! Ahsoka! Are you okay?" Zatt screamed, hands on his head. The clone shushed him.

"I'm checking to see if she'll be okay." Gungi leveled his saber at the clone, who held his hands up. "Calm down. I'm a medic." He moved Ahsoka's hand from over the hole in her midsection.

"Oh no... Ahsoka..." Ganodi murmured. Ahsoka coughed up blood,

"Run..." She croaked, pointing towards the door, "Shaak Ti is... helping escapees." Byph clicked and stood up. Kantooni stood as well looking over towards the door. Gungi grunted reluctantly.

"Gungi's right!" Ganodi said, "We can't leave her!" Ahsoka let out another wet cough.

"Go... Please..." Byph nodded and tugged at Zatt's sleeve.

"But we... We can't leave her!" Ganodi argued. Ahsoka shook her head,

"You need... Need to live..." The younglings exchanged looks. Ganodi and Zatt nodded.

"Goodbye Ahsoka." Zatt said quietly and the four ran off. Gungi hung back for a minute and moaned. He pressed his forehead to Ahsoka's with a soft hum. Pressing her hand to his face, she smiled,

"Look after them..." He nodded before stumbling off after his friends. Ahsoka sighed and let the trooper examine her wounds.

"Kix?" She muttered to the medic. The helmet avoided her look. "Kix... I may not be a Jedi anymore, but I can still... use the Force." Kix looked at the wound intensely before sighing.

"Yeah..." Ahsoka chuckled.

"So... How bad is it?" Kix looked at her,

"You should be grateful..."

"Why?" She scoffed.

"He avoided all your vital organs." Ahsoka quieted. Kix nodded. "This isn't fatal at all." Ahsoka gave a weak laugh.

"Right... So now... I face a lifetime of... suffering at the hands of..." She grimaced, "Darth Vader." She spat out. She threw an arm over her eyes. Kix removed his helmet so he could look at his former commander.

"Ahsoka..." Her body shook with sobs.

"Why?" She mumbled, looking at him through her fingers, "Why would you do this?" '_Snips... Attachments aren't the Jedi way..._'. Kix sprayed her wound with disinfectant, "Why would _he_ do this?"

"I'm... I don't-" Kix began, but Ahsoka didn't seem to hear him.

"How... But how could he do this to _me_?" '_Master! Hang on! I'll save you!_'. "After everything we've been through..." '_Don't worry, Snips, I got your back._'. She broke down, bawling up at the ceiling. Kix watched, pained, as she blubbered in front of him. Hesitantly, he put a hand on her shoulder. _'Hey Ahsoka... I know that was rough... Snips, come on, don't cry...'. _After a few minutes she sniffed, and took a couple of breaths.

"Kix..." He leaned closer to hear her, "I wasn't... the best student. But I learned a lot from Anakin." Kix knew that feeling. "But there's one thing I never did that I'm really regretting..." She smiled serenely.

"Which was?"

"I never thanked him for teaching me." She laughed, "Not once." She tilted her head and put a hand on the trooper's shoulder, "So, Kix, can you do something for me?"

"Sure. Anything you want, Ahsoka." Kix was confused, "Just name it. I'll-" He was cut off as the green lightsaber blade tore though her midsection and into her heart. She coughed, blood trickling down her lips, smile still on her face, and hand loosely gripping her weapon.

"Thank...Thank him for me." Kix gasped and grabbed the weapon, but it had already done the damage. He grabbed at her face,

"No! Come on, Ahsoka! Stay with me! Come... on..." The lightsaber fell to the floor and slowly flickered out, now dead. Her eyes glowed one last time. '_Come on, Snips!_'.

"Wait...up...Mas..." But they too, soon became lifeless.

Kix had witnessed death all his life. It was what he was born for. But even the hundreds of deaths he had been witness to, he could never stop the wave of sadness that poured over him every time. Sighing, he pulled his helmet back on. Closing her eyes, he picked up the two lightsabers and put them far beneath in his medical bag, where no prying eyes could see them. '_I'm sorry, Master... I just... Can't._'.

"Well? Where is the prisoner?" Darth Vader asked expectantly as the medic approached, Kix could barely look him in the eyes from behind his helmet. '_It's okay, Snips. Just know,_'.

"She died, sir." Anakin's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and his jaw slackened for a brief moment. '_I'll always love you._' They quickly hardened again. "Put her body with the rest of them." Kix nodded,

"I did, sir."

"Very good."

"...Thank you."

_Vader stopped next to Kix._

_ "Look after her." He whispered in the tiniest voice._

_ "Right, sir."_

Jason9000: I thought about what you said, with Anakin letting Ahsoka get away, and that's what inspired this. I felt that Darth Vader was determined to kill her, proving himself, but rather wanted to take her prisoner, keep her alive, and justify it as something else. Anyway, take it as you will. But thanks for helping me with the idea.


End file.
